Drone cargo operations at Skellefteå Droneport

Purpose and goal

The project´s aim is to develop and demonstrate a drone transport line in Skellefteå Municipality, based in the logistics park at Skellefteå Droneport. The drone transport line will fill existing and new transport needs of Skellefteå municipality and business. The long-term aim is to lay the foundations for large-scale drone transport by gradually establishing activities, in interaction with residents, customers, regulators, suppliers and operators.

Expected effects and result

Streamlining and reduced costs in shipping enable lower costs and new customer groups. Activities affected by downtime in production etc. can shorten these downtimes. A light and electric powered drone replaces a fossil fueled car, which provides environmental and climate benefits. Reduced costs and thus prices for shipping make it easier for individuals to run errands without using a car. Development of fast drones has several other uses; through development in this project, the number of application areas can increase, as well as growth and quality of life.

Planned approach and implementation

The solution to be explored in the project is a service system for drone shipping centered around a larger drone, connected to a physical ground infrastructure in the form of a Droneport. Drone freight will take place with a Katla drone with a unique boxwing eVTOL configuration. The droneport is the hub for drone freight. The drone is controlled with an autopilot and ground station, the flight is automatic but supervised by a pilot on the ground. The ambition is that the drone will be integrated with a service system for smooth freight orders.